USB HardDrive mounts read-only. Is there anyway to make it read-write?

I've got a Seagate "FreeAgent Go" 160GB, USB2, bus-powered. It was formated NTFS, but I reformated it Fat32 so I could use it to transfer files to/from my Linux/Windoze boxes.

It read/writes fine on Windoze.

On Linux it mounts read-only in the /media directory. I can get files off of it but when I try to copy files to it I get this message:

# cp file.txt /media/USB_HD/Videos/.
cp: cannot create regular file `/media/USB_HD/Videos/./file.txt': Read-only file system

Looking in /etc/mtab it appears to be mounted 'rw'

Here's some debug info. Let me know what else I can do to help debug this problem. I'm somewhat of a Linux newbie so please be gentle.

Thanks in advance!
-- Fritz_Katz

# uname -r
2.6.12-1.1381_FC3smp

The top-level directory of the USB_HD is filled with strange characters, but my sub-directories are also correctly listed:

# ls /media/USB_HD
╟=½æ?▄t╢.╜▄τ   `ä'o┐å═±.æ{┘  ┐é<$}φkí.0,g  ö╚?^╢4?å.?s¥  $ùδb╤φj3.s?+
┌_;¼#[aδ.l╡╢  åo?$r?îq      e ?.Γa┴       ò?4«σ$≤..çs"   ù■Θ⌐=å??.┐£Ω
¼░╨ñ╟b?┬.é8π   Videos        f55½?╠«l.%c?  *╔▓?`?╡*.o⌠â  ûφ$╓ e╫æ.δ£i
0╨òn?·?6.?ak  áüí⌐ñü╝?.┌│ö  {;≤f╥┘⌠6.ìΩ?  ─ô$?aì─(.?cª   v▓4åd⌐y:.åê¢
≈«0rΓ=ih.s$?  â╣∩~wå²╬.■pæ  ¿f*åb│±ú.∩;≥  work          ┌v?åcσ╒?.▄╢h
...

However, the sub-directories list OK:

# ls /media/USB_HD/Videos

Examples of spewage in the /var/log/messages:

Aug 14 12:24:43 localhost kernel: attempt to access beyond end of device
Aug 14 12:24:43 localhost kernel: sdb1: rw=0, want=7996839755, limit=312576642
Aug 14 12:24:43 localhost kernel: attempt to access beyond end of device
Aug 14 12:24:43 localhost kernel: sdb1: rw=0, want=7996839756, limit=312576642
(( repeated thousands of times ))

and, once in a while, this appears :

Aug 14 12:24:44 localhost kernel: FAT: Filesystem panic (dev sdb1)
Aug 14 12:24:44 localhost kernel:     invalid access to FAT (entry 0xe7544796)

# cat /etc/fstab

# This file is edited by fstab-sync - see 'man fstab-sync' for details
LABEL=/                 /                       ext3    defaults        1 1
LABEL=/boot             /boot                   ext3    defaults        1 2
LABEL=/data             /data                   ext3    defaults        1 2
none                    /dev/pts                devpts  gid=5,mode=620  0 0
none                    /dev/shm                tmpfs   defaults        0 0
none                    /proc                   proc    defaults        0 0
none                    /sys                    sysfs   defaults        0 0
LABEL=SWAP-sda3         swap                    swap    defaults        0 0
/dev/hdc                /media/cdrecorder       auto pamconsole,exec,noauto,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t,managed 0 0
/dev/sdb1               /media/USB_HD           vfat    pamconsole,exec,noauto,iocharset=utf8,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t,managed 0 0

# cat  /etc/mtab

/dev/sda2 / ext3 rw 0 0
none /proc proc rw 0 0
none /sys sysfs rw 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts rw,gid=5,mode=620 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw 0 0
/dev/sda1 /boot ext3 rw 0 0
/dev/sda5 /data ext3 rw 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs rw 0 0
none /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc binfmt_misc rw 0 0
sunrpc /var/lib/nfs/rpc_pipefs rpc_pipefs rw 0 0
automount(pid3491) /home autofs rw,fd=5,pgrp=3491,minproto=2,maxproto=4 0 0
automount(pid3550) /projects autofs rw,fd=5,pgrp=3550,minproto=2,maxproto=4 0 0
automount(pid3604) /users autofs rw,fd=5,pgrp=3604,minproto=2,maxproto=4 0 0
nfsd /proc/fs/nfsd nfsd rw 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /media/USB_HD vfat rw,nosuid,nodev,iocharset=utf8,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t 0 0

It looks like the FS is scrambled somehow. Did you format it from Windows or Linux?

I formated it on Windows, using SwissKnife. This was recommended by Neuros OSD.

The NeurosOSD also has problems playing back videos stored on the drive. Periodically it locks up in the middle of playback. Otherwise it's a pretty cool product.

I suppose the next step is to reformat the drive to Fat32 using Linux to see if that fixes the problem?

The old generation of USB do work on linux, the new ones only can read! The reason is that the new controller chip on them has problem with linux, formatting and reformatting has no effect.
I use, Opensuse, Fedora, and PClinuxOS, they all have same problem.
My solution:
I had an old enclosure case for a USB hard drive(2.5 inch), I fitted it with Hard Disk (Samsung, 100GB), and I use it as my memory stick, it is same size as a cigarette pack.
May be this problem should be referred to LINUX distros.

Well, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about in regards to "old generation of USB" (USB 1.0?) or there being any problems with such devices and the Linux kernel.

But as the FreeAgent line is relatively new in the first place, I don't think it is applicable anyway.

Seeing exactsame problem on SLES10 Desktop. Read only drive. Configuration shows rw. Bummer!

I have some entries in my system logs that look like the ones you posted.

I have a Sabrent external usb box with an old WD 80Gb hd in it, formatted for FAT32, but it stays mounted r/w.

My problem happened while copying a 6-7Gb directory tree from the portable to my desktop system using rsync. Got most of the way through the copy operation when the drive light stayed on with no activity. Then the operation failed, leaving things in the logs like you posted. An ls of the portable after the failure gives:

╟=½æ?▄t╢.╜▄τ `ä'o┐å═±.æ{┘ ┐é<$}φkí.0,g ö╚?^╢4?å.?s¥ $ùδb╤φj3.s?+ ┌_;¼#[aδ.l╡╢ åo?$r?îq e ?.Γa┴ ò?4«σ$≤..çs" ù■Θ⌐=å??.┐£Ω ¼░╨ñ╟b?┬.é8π Videos f55½?╠«l.%c? *╔▓?`?╡*.o⌠â ûφ$╓ e╫æ.δ£i 0╨òn?·?6.?ak áüí⌐ñü╝?.┌│ö {;≤f╥┘⌠6.ìΩ? ─ô$?aì─(.?cª v▓4åd⌐y:.åê¢ ≈«0rΓ=ih.s$? â╣∩~wå²╬.■pæ ¿f*åb│±ú.∩;≥ work ┌v?åcσ╒?.▄╢h ...

In my case none of the directories is readable. Unmount and power cycle the unit and plug it back in and it works.

System log entries were similar to what the OP posted. Makes me wonder if this might have something to do with a timing problem on the USB system. The drive works fine on Win XP, and so does copying the same large directory tree.

I'd like to ask for some help on this as well.

I've gotten the drive to read/write, solution is simple (but a little painful):

1) backed up the entire 160 Gigs to a Windows NTFS filesystem.

2) Plugged the drive into my Linux box. Logged in as root -- and reformated the drive as Fat32.

I can restore the backed up files from the Windows drive and read/write them on Linux.